protagonist

/prəˈtæɡənɪst/ (bre, ipa) · /prəˈtæɡənɪst/ (ame, ipa) · /prō-ˈta-gə-nist/ (ame, mw)

protagonist — noun

  • protagonistsingular
  • protagonistsplural

1. The central person in a story, film, play, or novel whose choices and experience

1.名詞B2
釋義

The central person in a story, film, play, or novel whose choices and experiences form the main thread of the plot.

例句

Yumi is the protagonist of the novel, a young woman searching for her missing father.

countable noun, used with 'the' or possessive

The film's protagonist must decide between staying with her family or chasing her dream abroad.

同義詞
  • hero

    implies moral courage or admirable qualities; a protagonist can be flawed or unlikeable

  • lead

    more common in film and theatre; shorter and more informal

  • main character

    more neutral and descriptive; avoids the literary tone of 'protagonist'

反義詞
  • antagonist

    the character who opposes the protagonist

用法筆記

Often preceded by 'the' or a possessive (the story's protagonist). Unlike 'hero', a protagonist does not need to be admirable or virtuous.

常見錯誤

❌The protagonist hero saved the town.
✅The protagonist saved the town.
💡'protagonist' already means the main character; 'hero' is redundant unless you mean a morally good character.

2. A person who actively supports a particular idea, political system, or movement

2.名詞C1
釋義

A person who actively supports a particular idea, political system, or movement and works to advance it.

例句

Arjun became a leading protagonist of the environmental movement after a local oil spill.

countable noun + of + cause/movement

The senator is a protagonist of education reform in rural communities across the state.

同義詞
  • champion

    stronger emotional tone; suggests fighting for a cause against opposition

  • advocate

    focuses on speaking in favour; can be a professional role (e.g., patient advocate)

  • proponent

    more neutral and detached; often used in policy debates

反義詞
  • opponent

    someone who actively argues against an idea or policy

用法筆記

Followed by 'of' + the cause, movement, or policy. Common in journalism and academic writing. More active than 'supporter' — implies personal effort to promote the idea.

3. A person who plays an active role in a real-world situation, competition, or con

3.名詞C1
釋義

A person who plays an active role in a real-world situation, competition, or conflict and helps shape its outcome.

例句

The key protagonists in the negotiation worked through the terms for six hours.

plural: protagonists in + event

Eli was a protagonist in the championship match, scoring the winning goal in overtime.

同義詞
  • participant

    broader and more neutral; does not imply a leading or central role

  • contender

    specifically suggests a competition or contest

  • key figure

    emphasises importance without the literary or dramatic tone

用法筆記

Often used in the plural (protagonists) to refer to the main figures on opposing sides of a real-world event. Less common than sense 1; mostly appears in journalism and formal analysis.